Boulevard Dry Stout

Brewed by Boulevard Brewing Company
Style: Dry Stout
Kansas City, Missouri USA

Serve in English pint

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Here is a beer that I think deserves a bit more respect than it has received thus far. In a beer world crowded by imperial stouts, I think it is too easy to dismiss a drinkable, basic stout as dull or lacking complexity. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t satisfy, and in the "hedonistic" analysis often suggested for beer rating, this beer does that enough to justify at least a 3.4/3.5 average, not its current 3.18 average (April 2005). It pours solidly opaque black with an off-white head; the yeast pour from the secondary fermentation is a nice touch if you like that kind of thing. The aroma is chocolate with a hint of sourness; roasted flavors are also anticipated; classic stout. The palate, even from the bottle, strikes me as a brewpub kind of body--too much carbonation, though the tingle doesn’t seem to come only from the fizz but also from the dryness that leaps out at your palate, which is probably more accustomed to a sweet stout full of residual sugars. The smoke quality is the surprising dimension to the flavor, though it isn’t too aggressive and it gives the beer a long finish that makes you ponder. It isn’t complex--it is just a basic roast/chocolate beer, but the dry smoke makes it more interesting. Soften the palate, put it on cask, and send it to England, and you’d have English raters pleased with the subtle qualities of this session stout (like a Mauldons Black Adder), but to American palates and with this carbonation, it isn’t given enough of a chance.

Black color with a medium tan head that disintegrates fairly quickly. A hint of malt in the aroma. The taste is more smoky than I would expect in a stout. Slightly burnt roasts and chocolate as well.

Pours black, brown head no lacing. Aroma was week, roasted malts and chocolate. Flavor starts well with chocolate and coffee flavors...then goes down hill. A bit too thin and bitter finish and woody aftertaste.

Man i love this stuff probably better than guinness. I think boulevard knows what they are doing. It poured black and tasted like a good chocolate flavor. Did’nt have a lastling head but made up in flavor.

thin off white head black body. very subtle aroma of coffee. taste is chocolate and mabye smoked malts. has a thin dry mouthfeel. not bad for the price.

from the bottle. shared with flemdawg. poured darak brown, with a tan head. aromamalts, cocoa, molasses, black cherries, sugar. flavor, smoke, wood, roasted malts, I wish the flavor was a little more robust. chalky and dry mouth feel.

Dark brown, almost black body with a fast diminshing brown head that left oily lacing all down the glass. Roasted malts, some coffee, carmel, molasses, and cholcolate in the aroma. Weak taste by comparison to the aroma. Roasted malts, molasses and some wood came out in the taste. Tingly, thin watery feel. Not a good stout.

the cap came off of this one a rather easily. pours black w/ some reddish notes. the head was minimal, a cocoa powder color. thin, dry, and a bit lacking in body, not the best dry stout.

This bottled beer poured a deep, dark brown with highlights of garnet. The head was thin, fizzy and light tan dissipating quickly leaving almost no lacing on the glass. The first impression aroma is of sweet, dried fruit - dates or raisins. Then the malt comes through loud and clear. The flavor is smooth and earthy with highlights of smoked malt. The finish has some alcohol warmth to it as well.

Bottled: Nearly opaque with a fizzy tan and fading head which produced little lace. The aroma has notes of chalky and earthy yeast esters, mocha and burnt malts, coffee, aromatic hops, and a touch of sour citrus. The taste starts with a balanced bittersweet offering with a minor apple and mint undertone. The finish has coffee, smoke, and bitters notes. The feel is fizzy and light, minimal body. Quite average and quaffable, a common stout. (Boulevard’s Bully Porter is much better)